Putin says Russia fired experimental ballistic missile at Ukraine in warning to west
Vladimir Putin has confirmed that Russia fired a hypersonic medium-range ballistic missile at a Ukrainian military site, as he warned the west that Moscow “had the right” to strike western countries that provide Kyiv with long-range weapons.
The Russian leader, in an unannounced televised address to the nation on Thursday evening, said Russia tested the new ballistic hypersonic missile Oreshnik to strike a military facility in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
The Russian leader said the strike on Ukraine on Thursday morning came in response to Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory with US and British missiles earlier this week.
Key events
Vladimir Putin’s televised address to the nation came after Ukraine claimed earlier on Thursday that Russia fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at the central city of Dnipro.
Nine projectiles were launched at enterprises and critical infrastructure in Dnipro between 5am and 7am local time from the Astrakhan region of Russia, Ukraine’s air forces said.
The missile was said to have hit “without consequences” the air force said, though it added that information about victims had yet to be received.
Six of the nine projectiles were destroyed by air defences, the air force said in a morning update.
Initial unconfirmed reports from Ukraine had suggested Russia had used ICBM, a weapon designed for long-distance nuclear strikes and never before used in war. There was no suggestion the weapon was nuclear-armed.
Three US officials said it was an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) with a smaller range. Intermediate-range ballistic missiles have a range of 3,000-5,500km (1,860-3,415 miles).
Missile attack a ‘response to Nato’s aggressive actions against Russia’, says Putin
Vladimir Putin said Russia’s deployment of an experimental medium-range ballistic missile on a Ukrainian military target was “a response” to “aggressive actions of Nato countries against Russia”.
The Russian leader said the strike on Thursday morning came in response to Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory with US and British missiles earlier this week.
In comments carried by the Moscow Times, Putin said:
We consider ourselves justified in using our weapons against military targets in those countries that allow their weapons to be used against our facilities. In the event of an escalation of aggressive actions, we will respond decisively and accordingly.
Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, said in a televised address that his forces tested the new ballistic hypersonic missile “Oreshnik”, which means “hazel” in Russian.
Among the operations carried out was the testing of one of Russia’s latest medium-range missile systems. In this case, a ballistic missile equipped with a non-nuclear hypersonic warhead was used.
The tests were deemed successful, he said, adding that the target had been struck “as intended”.
Putin says Russia fired experimental ballistic missile at Ukraine in warning to west
Vladimir Putin has confirmed that Russia fired a hypersonic medium-range ballistic missile at a Ukrainian military site, as he warned the west that Moscow “had the right” to strike western countries that provide Kyiv with long-range weapons.
The Russian leader, in an unannounced televised address to the nation on Thursday evening, said Russia tested the new ballistic hypersonic missile Oreshnik to strike a military facility in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
The Russian leader said the strike on Ukraine on Thursday morning came in response to Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory with US and British missiles earlier this week.
